France’s fortress of art

by CAMILLE CHIN  April 2012

The Musée Toulouse-Lautrec in southern France is housed in a 13th-century fortress that was built by local Albi bishops. A lovely setting, surely, but after 90 years of museum operation and 160,000 visitors a year, the stronghold of over 1000 Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec drawings, lithographics, paintings and posters needed a little sprucing up. After 10 years of restoration and expansion, and an almost four-month closure, the revamped museum opened on April 2. It now features a new layout, more gallery space for temporary exhibits, a 156-seat auditorium, improved visitor services, and two elevators (bye, bye 13th century...). Toulouse-Lautrec’s works are spread out over two floors and are examined chronologically as well as thematically: portraits, brothels, Paris night-life and its stars. An entire floor is also dedicated to his contemporaries (Gauguin) and artists that inspired him (Degas). musee-toulouse-lautrec.com.

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